1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates, generally, to mechanical prosthetic and therapeutic aids employed by physical and occupational therapists when administering standing and walking therapies to disabled, infirm, or geriatric patients. More particularly, it relates to an assistive device used by care-givers to lift, transport, and support individuals in their care.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There are a number of harnesses worn by patients that are of general assistance to care-givers. However, there are no known all-in-one harnesses that help a patient sit up from a reclining position, help a patient stand from a sitting position, help a patient walk, help a patient sit down from a standing position, and help a patient lie down from a sitting position. Moreover, there are no known harnesses that enable a care giver to hold the harness in such a way as to guide and stabilize the patient in a way that is comfortable to the patient and the care giver, nor are there any known harneses that can be releasably engaged by mechanical clamps or the like to further assist the care giver. Nor was it known heretofore how to provide a padded thoracic harness and an unpadded pelvic support harness including thigh straps all in one harness, and how to make the two harnesses separable from one another.
In view of the art considered as a whole at the time the present invention was made, it was not obvious to those of ordinary skill in this art how the needed therapeutic gait harness and pelvic support system could be provided.